'No I don't agree', said Rick as his face turned red and he started to clench his fist in anger. Without warning, he flung his mobile phone across the table and nearly hit Stan.
'I'm so shocked and angry with him for embarrassing me in front of the others, he used to be such a nice fellow', Stan recalled.
'He was the kind of person, always cheerful and willing to help another friend and go the extra mile for others.'
'It's frightening to see the transformation', I commented.
'So what exactly happened to him?' as I continued.
'Tell you a secret, but please do not tell others, as I don't want to frighten them.' said Stan.
'Ok I promise.'
'You see, he was having some financial problems, and to make matters worse, the company caught him moonlighting and warned him to stop or face the sack.'
'So I guess he couldn't handle the pressure.' I said.
'Yeah and he is currently on psychiatric medications to control his condition...'
Do you see how stress can really mess with your mind?
It is no joke, but stress, if left untreated, could really change and transform a person for the worse.
With the increasing stress of modern society, we are constantly faced with pressures, deadlines and have had to make multiple decision at any one time.
Learning to manage stress is not something that you decide you might need, it is absolutely essential that you learn to manage stress.
The difference between a person who is capable of handling stress and someone who is not, is determined by their response to stressful situations.
So what determines the response?
Let me tell you, it is all in the mind.
You see, our mind is a powerful matter that actually controls all our thoughts, and our thoughts in turn will dictate our actions.
The secret to managing stress, is in training our mind.
I'm going to let you in on a secret of the mind, which once mastered will enable you to cruise through life with the calmness of a Zen master...
Once upon a time, two Zen monks were walking along a mountain trail; they reached a stream and met a lady who wanted to cross to the other side.
The older monk volunteered to carry her on his back. After they got to the other side, she got off, thanked the monk and they parted.
Throughout the rest of the journey, there was complete silence as both monks kept walking...finally the younger monk could not stand it anymore, and asked "Master, I thought we are not supposed to have body contact with the opposite sex?"
The older monk turned and gave a surprised look and said, "I have already let her go after we crossed the stream, why are you still carrying her?"
In life there are bound to be ups and downs, when things do not work out to our desire, most people will begrudge and get stressed over the same old issue...you must learn to Let Go.
That's it, learn to let go. Think about it, it can be easy and it can be not, this simple yet profound concept will help you go a long way.
Of course there are many other areas and stress management techniques which will be covered in future. I will talk about areas including: Progressive muscle relaxation, Aromatherapy oil, Power of positive thinking, Positive affirmation, Creative visualization, Meditation technique, Breathing exercise, Relaxation exercise and Relaxation music.
We will also explore the concept of brain wave and its relation to stress including: Alpha brain wave, Binaural beat, Silva Mind Control and Stress Hypnosis.
I'll talk to you soon.
About the Author
James Tan has dedicated his life to exploring the human mind's potential in stress management areas after suffering a fatal auto accident, which has been the turning point of his life. His website http://www.stress-relief-and-management.com contains various tips and advices, including a newsletter 'Taming the Monkey mind' and a free 28 part ecourse of stress managing tips.